Remembering Someone Else

by Bill Prosser, CAF Inland Empire Wing Leader

Photo by Camm Kirk

(Riverside, California - May 11, 2017) The following is a portion of an article that I wrote as the Executive Officer of the Inland Empire Wing many years ago. Let me begin by saying that this article Does Not Apply to the Inland Empire Wing as it is now, I will explain more later.

We are all saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our wings most valuable members, Someone Else. Someone’s passing created a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years, and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person’s share of the work. Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results: "Someone Else can work with that group." Whenever there was a job to do, a floor to sweep, a PX to get ready for an airshow or a plane to wash, one name was on everyone’s lists- Someone Else! "Let Someone Else do it" was a common refrain heard throughout the wing.

It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the largest givers in the wing. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference. Someone Else was a wonderful person, sometimes appearing superhuman; but a person can only do so much. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do. Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did? Remember – we can’t depend on Someone Else anymore.”

As I said this Does Not Apply to the IEW as it is now.

We have raised the bar in moving our wing forward. There is no going backwards, we must stay the course. Is it perfect? Not yet, but we are working that way. Folks are not relying on “Someone Else” to get things done. Our members continually step up and make happen whatever is needed. Our members are being proactive in getting things done, not waiting around for someone to ask them to do something.

Next time you visit the hangar take a minute to look around. For the most part and most of the time we are looking more like a museum inside and out. That’s because of you, our members. As we move forward it will be more and more important that we look like a museum all the time inside and out. Everything in its place, all the time (if possible). In the coming weeks, we will be developing somewhat of a written procedure/structure for folks to follow as to where certain large items belong all the time, from golf carts to airplanes to stanchions to display cases, tables, chairs, everything. This will be difficult in the beginning, old

habits are hard to break, but if we don’t rely on “Someone Else” we will make it happen, raising that bar again.

Over the past several months, it has kinda felt like the museum has stalled a little. Rest assured things are happening behind the scenes. You will see more improvements soon. The blank canvas will not be blank much longer.

In closing, I would like to thank each of you for your continued support. We cannot move forward without you. Our members are our greatest asset. I am enjoying serving you as Wing Leader. It is an honor to hold this position, I will continue to do my best!